Little Bird
by unlockthelore
Summary: Kurama was used to Hiei coming through his window with all types of things: wounds, quips, stolen items. An infant? That's new.


Over the years, Hiei had come through Kurama's window with a number of things ranging from gifts to well-placed barbs about something that annoyed him during their adventures to wounds that needed tending to or fears that needed addressing. A child, however? That was something new. Admittedly, Kurama didn't know what to think of seeing Hiei easing through the window and settling on the floor as he removed his things, careful of the bundle held close to his chest. His cloak had been wrapped around the child, likely to shield them from the cold, but tiny hands reached out to brush against Hiei's chin. The fire demon leant away from the touch as he set his sword aside, easing out of his boots and tucking them beneath Kurama's bed, only standing once he was ready to face him.

Kurama was used to determination in Hiei's eyes and the unshakable fortitude of his will but this felt like something else entirely. Taking a seat on the edge of his bed as he listened to Hiei's tale, ranging from his usual patrols of the Makai to finding a child abandoned near the border, and simply taking them along with him. Anyone else might have overlooked them or killed them if given the chance but Hiei had taken one look and wrapped them in his cloak, bringing them back to the Ningenkai and to Kurama for assistance.

Kurama felt a flutter in his stomach as he watched Hiei adjust his cloak around the child, dark hair peeking out from beneath and tiny hands settling. He could hear the evening of the child's breaths and the tension ebbed away from Hiei's shoulders. Kurama smiled faintly and patted the space next to him. Hiei giving a curt nod and slowly sinking down to sit at his side. Peering at the child, copper brown skin and dark hair curling at the ends, a cherubic face with chubby hands and legs tucked beneath the drape of Hiei's cloak.

There was silence between them with only the muffled sounds of the city, their own breathing and the child's to fill the lull. While Kurama admired the child and their sleeping face, Hiei seemed lost in his thoughts.

"So, I suppose I'll keep them." Hiei finally said, glancing at the child before turning to look at Kurama. "I don't know what they are but it doesn't matter."

Kurama had leant down a bit to get a better look at the child and found himself nose to nose with Hiei. A glimmer in crimson eyes with an expression that wouldn't have taken refusal well without an argument. Kurama figured that this meant a great deal to Hiei. Having been abandoned in his own youth, the child's predicament must have felt like looking into a mirror and ignoring it would have made him no better than the koorime who cast him aside. Somehow, it was in that gentleness and determination to be better than those in his past, that Kurama found himself loving Hiei even more than he had before he stepped through the window.

With a soft huff and a shrug, Kurama looked upward and smiled innocently. "…We'll need to buy supplies to make sure we can take care of them."

Hiei's eyes widened and his lips parted but the child began to stir and immediately his attention was stolen. Kurama's heart melted as Hiei shushed them, tucking their head against the hollow of his neck and patting their back until they settled. Keeping his gaze on them for a moment, Hiei hesitated and Kurama seized the opportunity to find everything he would need for the impromptu shopping trip.

"We?" Hiei asked, his voice softer and with a curious lilt that matched the way he tilted his head and stared at Kurama with wide eyes. "You want to help?"

It hadn't dawned on Kurama that Hiei hadn't come to him explicably for his help. For so long, they relied on one another that he thought it would've been second nature to know that Kurama's help would come without a price. Brow furrowing, Kurama mulled it over. If Hiei hadn't come to him for his help then perhaps he simply came because —

He wanted him to know of the child's existence and be there for them if need be. Even if he didn't approve of Hiei keeping the child, he was certain that the fire demon would have anyhow and raised them to the best of his abilities alone. But now, they were in it together.

Just like with every obstacle they faced.

Kurama nodded, smiling widely. "I certainly can't leave you to handle this on your own," he said, delighting in the faint flush to Hiei's cheeks at his words. "We're partners."

Hiei opened his mouth to say something but the child moved again. His attention stolen as he toyed with their hair, trying to neaten it as best as he could without waking them. Pooling his youki into the palm of his hand, he eased his hand beneath the cloak and laid it gently against their back, pressing his nose to the side of their head.

"Sleep…" He muttered softly, waiting until their breaths evened out once more before he rested his head atop of theirs.

Kurama's lips twitched and he tried to fight down the urge to wrap his arms around them both. He felt something stirring beneath his skin, the desire to protect them and keep them close. But even more than that, he felt pride. Hiei was rough around the edges and he could be blunt and at times cruel — so much so that he could rival Kurama's cruelty, but here he was cooing and trying to comfort a child. Kurama stilled himself from taking a step forward and eased backward, grabbing his wallet from his desk and his phone from his night stand.

"Thank you."

Kurama stopped mid-motion, glancing at Hiei and his heart skipped a beat. Hiei's head resting atop the child's, half-lidded crimson eyes gazing at him from beneath dark eyelashes as he smiled. Despite the tiredness in his eyes and the shadows in his smile, he still seemed to light up the room. Kurama's fingers curled around his phone and he pocketed it quickly, stepping over to press a gentle kiss to Hiei's head.

"I'll go get a few things so you can remain here. I'll be back as soon as I'm able." He promises, glancing down at the child sleeping peacefully with their cheek smushed against Hiei's shoulder. Carefully, Kurama runs his fingers along the softer hairs around the crown of their head before pulling his hand away.

It took a considerable amount of willpower to leave but he was determined to do all he had to and return to them as quickly as possible. While walking through the aisles, enduring questions from would-be mothers and fathers, he found that this was what he was becoming.

A father.

Somehow, he felt simultaneously terrified and excited all at once. Mapping out where he would have to move certain things in his home and his room to ensure that there was space for three. He'd never been more excited to go home and after dropping off everything that he'd bought, he set to making a bottle for the child. If Hiei was that exhausted and they were dozing together, having traveled so far from the Makai to Kurama's home, they both must have been hungry. Though with Hiei's protectiveness, he would likely want the child to eat first before himself. Kurama smiled, testing the heat of the milk on his own skin before heading upstairs.

He eased the door to his room open and peeked inside. Hiei lying down with one arm pillowing his head while the other rested around the child sprawled out on his stomach. The child squirmed occasionally but quickly settled, lulled by either Hiei's irregular heartbeat or his breathing, likely both. Though he hated to wake them, Kurama crept to the bedside and gently nudged Hiei awake.

His soft grumbles and sniffs were endearing and the child even mimicked his movements although with a greater degree of fussiness. Gradually, Hiei's eyes opened and his lips parted with a jaw-cracking yawn. He blearily looked up at Kurama then glanced down at the child who was also waking and looked up at him. Slowly, they both turned to look at Kurama tiredly. Their eyes were different, Hiei's crimson and the child's black, but they both were fighting sleep and looked lose to passing out.

Kurama shook his head, reaching down and easing his arms around the child. Hiei lightly supporting him as he hefted them in his arms and sat down on the bed, adjusting himself into a comfortable position before offering the bottle to them. The child was transfixed on Kurama's face and the scrutiny might have been alarming if not for those wide eyes watching his every movement with intrigue. Curiously looking over the bottle, they leant forward and sniffed at it while Kurama looked on with an amused smile.

"I grabbed enough to last the week," Kurama told Hiei, trying to coax the child into drinking.

Hiei settled onto his back and folded his arms across his chest, closing his eyes. "That would be enough until we can decide what to do next." Somehow, hearing Hiei say 'we' only made Kurama feel fonder of him. One of Hiei's eyes opening and he raised a brow at the child. "Eat, Haku. It won't hurt you."

At Hiei's prompting, Haku took the bottle between their hands and began to drink away the contents with gusto. Kurama gently patted their back and tried to ease them down from drinking too quickly. The name didn't escape his attention though especially with how quickly Haku responded to it.

Kurama chuckled, smirking at Hiei. "Named them already, have you?"

Hiei eyed him then hummed in the usual way that he did when he didn't want to confirm or deny something. Closing his eye as he settled back into a comfortable position, he said, "They're a person who deserves a name. Not a thing to be thrown away."

Kurama's smirk eased into a contemplative look, a faint smile forming on his lips as he looked down at the child. Did Hiei see himself in Haku? The pain that came with being abandoned, the want to be acknowledged and loved?

"I'm not abandoning them."

Kurama looked back at Hiei at the declaration and found the fire demon staring at Haku. He reached out and ran his fingers through Haku's hair, dark eyes focusing on him as he spoke.

"Demon, human, apparition, I don't care. No matter what you are, as long as you live, I will love you always."

Hiei looked at Kurama and smiled softly, and the fox felt his heart flutter once again. Those words didn't seem as if they were meant only for Haku and that smile stole his breath away.


End file.
